lunch at La Tapatia in Concord

We usually head to Los Montanas for our Mexican food and margarita fix, but decided to give this place, right across the street, a try instead. (It's been there for years, but we had never tried it, probably because they are always trying a bit too hard--constantly mailing coupons and offering specials--tactics that tend to make me wary.) Anyway, we were pleasantly surprised by the good food and service and excellent margaritas.

The carnitas were perfectly cooked: a lot of places overcook them or hold them so long that they end up dried out and chewy; these were pleasantly crunchy and moist and nicely seasoned. The chile verde was good, too: tasty and meltingly tender. The accompanying rice and refried beans were OK; nothing special. The margaritas were really great, better than just about any others we've tried in the Tri-Valley area. They have something like 100+ different tequilas to choose from, along with a very long list of specialty cocktails. Prices are reasonable across the board.

Service was very friendly and efficient, but it was mid-afternoon with few other occupied tables, so I'm not sure if it's the same during a busy meal period.

The only thing seriously lacking was ambiance: the furnishings and decor in the dining room are worn and dated, but at least it was neat and very clean.

Chef Jansen Chan's pumpkin pie hack lets you make one from scratch in less then 30 minutes. Who wants to spend time making pie crust, when you can be enjoying Friendsgiving? With The International Culinary Center

You're making Friendsgiving dinner, and cranberry sauce is in the house. What can you do with the leftovers, and the naysayers? Make this delicious seasonal sangria that Eamon Rockey created for us. Wanna try it at home? Get some Rockey's Milk Punch
See more Friendsgiving cocktails you can make with your cooking ingredients.